Ball rolling game



Feb.- 20, 1940. 'D. E. HOOKER I 2,191,209 BALL ROLLING GAME Filed ma 26, 1957 Jul/6% y pawn? Patented Feb. 20, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE BALL ROLLING GAME Donald E. Hooker, Chicago, 111., assignor to 8 Claims.

The invention relates to a novelty ball rolling game in which a steel ball rolling over a ball rolling table or surface is adapted to engage target conductor elements in a manner estab- 5 lishing an electrical impulse in a circuit suiiicient to energize an electromagnetically operable switch in an auyiliary circuit, whereby a score register or similar auxiliary device may be actuated to tally the number of contacts or engagements of a ball or balls with the target conductor elements.

Generally, in this game, when a ball approaches or engages a bumper element on the play surface, an electrical impulse is set up in a circuit, which is amplified sufficiently to operate a relay to close a main circuit to accomplish operation of an auxiliary device, whereby novel game action results to afford maximum amusement to the player.

The invention in another aspect relates to a novel target or bumper element for use in these ball rolling games. I

Also these game boards, when produced commercially, have an elaborately designed and painted top surface which is expensive. It is desirable to eliminate this cost and herein there is utilized a thin. polished sheet steel plate on top of the game board to provide an improved ball rolling surface, the sheet steel plate also functioning as a conductor to achieve the electrical features present in the game.

The main object of the invention is to provide an improved ball rolling game.

Another object is to provide a game board structure eliminating the cost of painting same.

Another important object is to provide an improved bumper target element for use on the game board.

Still another object is to provide in association with the target element a novel form of conductor cooperating with a metal ball rolling surface, and a steel ball, to set up an electrical impulse in a circuit capable of amplification and use for any desired purpose.

Other important objects of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in this art as the disclosure is more fully made.

Such desirable objects may be attained in the provision of a sheet steel plate on a game board, over which a steel ball is rolla-ble to engage a bumper type target insulated from the plate. The plate and a part on the target are in a circuit closable when a ball contacts such part on the target; thus setting up an electrical impulse capable of amplification to accomplish the results of the invention, all as will more fully appear.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings illustrating one practicable form of the invention:

Figure l is a general plan View of the improved ball rolling game housed in a suitable cabinet;

Figure 2 is a sectional View through the game board on the line 22 of Figure l to illustrate the novel target element on an enlarged scale;

.Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, but showing a modified form of target element;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the 44 of Figure 2; and,

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

The game comprises, for the sake of illustration, any usual form. of cabinet it having an open top and a play board il therein, which is inclined slightly from the horisontal, so that balls, one of which is indicated at 12, projected by a shooter l3 in the front wall of the cabinet, along a side passageway will emerge onto the high end of the board and move around the arch guide I5 to impinge and rebound from a cushion IS in the well known manner to roll by {30 gravity down the board to the low end thereof.

Said board is provided with a novel playing surface in the form of a polished sheet steel plate IT, which preferably is non-corrosive, said plate being formed with a desired number of holes 18 to expose the wooden board ll therebc-- low for a purpose soon to appear. The board H, in each said hole 98 carries a novel target in the form of a bumper element adapted to be hit by a rolling ball to rebound therefrom.

Each said element comprises a vertically disposed, metal screw post it projecting upwardly through the board H and to a point substantially thereabove as indicated in Figure 2. Each post carries a spacer sleeve "it between the upper end of which and a nut ii is carried a horizontal circular disk 22 formed as shown in Figure 2 with a peripheral groove 23 for seating an annular rubber bumper cushion lid. This cushion 24 is disposed at a level above the plate i! so that a rolling ball l2 can best engage the same, this bumper 24 serving no other purpose than rebound element.

In the form shown in Figure 2 sleeve carries at a point slightly spaced above the H, a. thin, resilient metal contact disk 2, which is of larger diameter than the bumper so that a ball approaching the bumper may hit the said disk 25 before it hits the bumper part In Figure 3 a modified resilient contact element is carried on the board I 1 below the bumper 24, in the form of a helical horizontal spring 26 of larger diameter than the bumper, as own, said spring 26 having a leg 2? passx. down through the hole I8 and board H, as shown.

The steel plate 11 is in an electrical circuit by means of a wire 28 with an amplifier of any usual form, said amplifier being electrically connected to a battery 30 and a wire 3! com-- line The amplifier 29 intensifies an electrical im-; j

pulse in the circuit described, and by wires 32 energizes a relay 33 to close a switch 34 and establish an auxiliary circuit 35, including a source of energy 36 and an electromagnetic device 31, l

the latter when operating serving to actuate a score tally device, or other auxiliary means, not

shown. V

The low end of the play surface I! is formed with sloped walls 38 to guide spent balls into a ball trap passage 39. r

In playing the game the player takes a ball l2 from passage 39 and places it in the passage M in position to be projected by the shooter I3 onto the upper end of the board, in the well known manner, said ball eventually rolling by gravity, down the surface ii to establish metallic contact between the plate II on which it rolls and the resilient contact member 25 or 216. A steel ball 12 is shown, in dotted lines, in such contact establishing position, in' Figure 2, the ball being heavy enough to flex the thin disk 25 as indicated in dotted lines, if traveling fast, to enable it to bump against the rubber ring 24 above the disk 25 in a readily understandable manner. In this fashion the ball may rebound. If the ball strikes the disk 25 or spring 26 a glancing tangential blow the metallic contact desired with the plate I! may still be established but the ball may not hit the rubber ring 24 and in such instance the rebound eiiect is not so great.

When the ball establishes contact between the disk 25 (or spring 26) and the plate I! a momentary electrical impulse is set up in the circuit described, which impulse is strengthened sufficiently by the amplifier 29 to cause energization of the relay 33 which in turn can then close the spring type switch 34 to energize the auxiliary circuit 35 and its electromagnetic device 31 for operating a score counter or the like in any desired manner well understood in this art.

It is the intention to cover all changes and modifications not departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

I. In a ball rolling game having a board sloped slightly from the horizontal, means for rolling a ball thereover, a thin, fiat and smooth steel plate disposed thereon and providing a ball rolling surface, said plate constituting the entire playing surface and provided withholes to eX- pose the board therebelow, bumper elements carried by said board respectively in said holes to be contacted by a rolling ball, the'bumper elements and plate being conductors disposed in a normally open electric circuit, and the ball being a conductor acting between any of the elements and plate to close the circuit.

2. In a ball rolling game having a board sloped slightly from the horizontal and carrying a metallic conductor plate providing a ball rolling surface, means to roll a metal conductor ball thereover, said plate having an opening therein to expose the board therebelow, said board in said hole carrying a support, and a resilient ring carried by said support in a plane parallel with and above the plate to be hit by the ball, said plate and ring being disposed in a normally open electric circuit closable through the ball on the plate when it hits the ring.

3. In a ball rolling game having a board sloped slightly from the horizontal and carrying a metallic conductive plate providing a ball rolling surface, means to roll a metal conductive ball thereover, said plate having an opening therein to expose the board therebelow, said board in said hole carrying a support, an annular flexible metaliic conductor element carried on the support above the'plate, said metallic element and plate being in an electric circuit momentarily closed when the ball on the plate contacts the said metallic element.

4. A ball rolling game of the pin ball type having-a conductor table over which a' conductor ball is rollable, a conductor target element .carried on the table, said table and element being disposed in a normally open electric circuit closable when the ball contacts the target element with the current passing through the ball, and said target including yieldable means acting to rebound the ball therefrom instantly upon contact.

5. In a ball rolling game having a substantially horizontal board made of non-conductive material, a thin metallic conductive sheet covering the board to provide a flat ball rolling surface overwhich balls are freelyjrollable, said sheet having an opening therein to expose the board therebelow, an obstacle element carried by the board in said opening, and means to roll a ball of conductive material over said surface, and an electric circuit including the surface and obstacle, said circuit being normally open but cfosable when the ball on said surface contacts the obstacle.

6. In a game apparatus, the "combination of an electro-conductive plate member providing a ball playing surface, an electro-conductive ball adapted to move over said surface, means for projecting said ball on said surface and electro-conductive rebound means engageable by a projected ball to closes. circuit between said rebound means and said plate, together with an electrical instrumentality operatively connected with said rebound means and said plate for actuation by said ball when the same engages said rebound means in circuit closing operation.

7. In combination, a non-conductive game board carrying a conductive surface disposed in a circuit, a conductive support carried by the board insulated from the conductive surface, said support being also in said circuit, a conductive ball rollable on the surfaca'and a conductive target element carried by the support above and substantially parallel with the surface, said ball on the surface when contacting the target element serving to pass energy by closing the circuit which normally is open.

8. In a ball rolling game having a substantially horizontal table made of non-conductive material,

DONALD E. HOOKER. 

